# Containers Are Ephemeral — Docker Fundamentals: Images, Containers and Compose

Source: https://www.skillbyai.com/en/docker/docker-ephemeral-containers

> See why container filesystems are ephemeral and why data written inside is lost when the container is removed.

## Nothing survives docker rm

A container's own filesystem is temporary. If a database writes its files inside the container and you `docker rm` it, that data is **gone forever** — this is by design.

**Quiz:** What happens to data written inside a container's writable layer after `docker rm`?

- [ ] It's automatically backed up
- [ ] It moves to the next container
- [ ] It is copied to Docker Hub
- [x] It's permanently lost

*Answer:* It's permanently lost. Without a volume or bind mount, data lives only in the container's writable layer and is deleted with it.